Qttilting-frame



IT) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALANSON BROWN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

QUILTING-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,543, dated June 15, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALANsoN BROWN, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quilting-F rames, by which their convenience and portability are increased and their utility extended; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and accurate description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, same letters referring to like parts in `all the figures.

Of said drawings Figure l is a perspective view of my improved quilting frame. Figs. 2 and 3 and 5 are end views explanatory of certain subordinate features; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation. A

The frame for holding the article to be quilted consists of the bars B, B, and the end pieces A, A, all which when in place are firmly held together by the bar C, (Fig. 4). The bars B B revolve in the end pieces A, A, and are each furnished with a ratchet wheel 'w by which means cloth may be wound off one on to the other, being all the time kept at a suiiicient degree of tension. The ends of the bar C form cylindrical projections beyond the end pieces A, A, and revolve in holes in the standards S, S, which thus form a firm support for the whole frame. After the insertion of the cylindrical ends of the bar C in the standards S, S, the pins p, p, are inserted therein and effectually bind the whole together. Y

The whole frame A, B, C, is free to revolve on these cylindrical ends of the bar C and consequently it may be placed either in the position shown in Fig. l or that shown in Fig. 4. In the first form it is adapted to all the purposes of a quilting frame and in the second it occupies but little room and may be used as a clotheshorse-the bars B, C, and B being well adapted to that purpose. In view of this object the canvas should be attached to the rollers B B Aby means of hooks so that it may be easily removed. In either position the frame is rmly held by means of the pin n which passes through the standards and into or behind the side pieces A, A.

Across the top of the frame is stretched the thread or cord a which is attached to the pins b in the standards S S, This cord serves as a holder for spools when the frame is used for quilting and in case it is used as a clotheshorse it serves as an additional b-ar.

There is also another purpose to which the whole arrangement may be converted if desirable. That is a cradle or small bed. As shown in Fig.` l it will subserve the latter purpose admirably, provided the canvas which is shown stretched across it be made strong enough. And by slackening the canvas so as to form a sufficient hollow, (which is easily done by means of the ratchet wheels and pawls W WV) it will form an efficient cradle if the feet which are seen in Fig. 1 to be rounded on the top be simply turned around on their centers. The relative positions of the feet in the two cases is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, Fig. 2 showing the feet as in Fig. l and Fig. 3 showing the same when adapted to the purposes of a cradle. This change is easily and simply made by taking out the pin c, reversing the feet and inserting the pin in the hole e on the other side of the center.

If when used as a quilting frame it be desired to tighten the cloth on all four sides this may be done by attaching one edge to the selvage attached to the side-piece A, and the other to a selvage attached to the sliding block H. A screw (R) fixes the block II at any position on the slotted bar c as will be readily seen from Fig. 4. There is a thumbscrew on the other end of screw I-I (which is not seen in the drawing however) by which the necessity of using a screw-driver to turn said screw is avoided. l

When the frame is not required for any purpose it may be easily and expeditiously folded so as to occupy but little room by placing the feet in the position shown in Fig. 5, in which form it may be placed upright against a wall and will project but a very short distance into the room.

Having thus described my invention what I claim therein s new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The construction of the frame A, A, B, B, C and its combination with the standards S, S; said frame consisting essentially of the revolving bars B, B, the end pieces A, A and the rigid bar C, which bar C revolves in the standards S, S in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

2. I also claim my method of converting and for the purpose substantially as set the Whole into a. cradle by means of the reforth. Versible feet F F, it being understood that I disclaim the mere substitution of rockers ALANSON BROWN' [1" S'] 5 for feet in any form of bed o1' cradle, that Witnesses:

being a. common practice; but claim the feet A. K. AMSDEN,

or rockers F, F, reversible in the manner JOHN PHIN. 

